Edward e



(No Model.)

B. R. GAY. Shingle Gage.

No. 239,762. Patent ed April'5, 188i.

NAPEI'EHS, PHOTO-UTHOGHAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT lrrrerr.

EDWARD R. GAY, OF NEVADA, TEXAS.

SHlNGLE-GAGE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 239,762, dated April 5, 1881.

(No model.)

hereby declare the following to be afull, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification. a

My invention relates to an improvement in combined shingle-gages and scaffolds; and it consists,first,in the combination of perforated metallic brackets which are secured to the upper portion of the roof, and two rods or bars having ratchets formed in their under edges and which pass through these brackets, and a straight rod or bar which connects the lower end of the two ratcheted bars together and serves as a guide for nailing down the shingles as will be more fully described hereinafter.

My invention further consists in a scaffold composed of two bars which have their upper ends passed through the brackets, and which them in position, and which are provided at their lower ends with suitably-bent irons or hooks, upon which the scafiold or safety-plank is secured. v

The object of my invention is to provide a suitable means by which the shingles can be nailed straight across the roof with much greater ease and rapidity than has heretofore been possible, and to combine therewith a safety device or scaffold which will prevent the men from slipping down over the side of formed into ratchets, as shownv in Fig. l, and

which bar extends down over the top of the house that is to be shingled. There are two of these brackets and two rods used, and the two rods are connected together at their lower ends by means of a straight rod or bar, D, which serves as a guide by which to nail the shingles on in a straight line. This rod D is passed through a hole or opening in the lower end of each one of the rods 0 and extends horizontally along the roof, just below where the layer of shingles is to be put on. By using this rod as a guide all need of marks, holes, and other such guides as have heretofore been used is entirely done away with, and the operator can nail the shingles down in position as fast as he can handle them. As fast as one row or layer of shingles has been nailed into position the rods are pushed upward through the metallic bracketsjust one notch or ratchet, and the guide is in position ready for the next layer.

Used in connection with this shin gle-gage is a scaffold, which consists of the two rods or bars G, which have the bent irons or books H secured to their lower ends. These rods Gr have a suitable number of notches, I, made in their lower edges, and the upper ends of the rods are passed through the two upper holes in the bracket- A. The bent irons or hooks are shaped as shown in Fig. 1, and to them is at tached, by means of staples, a board, P, which serves for the workmen to rest against while nailing'on the shingles. This board extends horizontally along the roof at anysuitable distance below the guide by which the shingles are nailed in position, and serves to prevent the men from slipping off theroof while at work. The men, by having this safety-guard below them, can move about with the utmost safety upon the roof in any kind of weather, and hence are enabled to work much more rapidly than where they have nothing but the usual supports to rest against.

The board may be attached to the bent irons, as shown in Fig. 1 in solid lines, or to thelower part of the hooks, as shown in dotted lines. When attached as shown in dotted lines, the board may be used down below the lower edge of the root as a support for the men to stand upon in nailing on the first layers of shingles.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. 'A shingle-gage consisting of the metallic brackets A, rods 0, having. suitable ratchets cut in their lower edges, and a rod for connectin g their lower ends together, and which serves P, the parts being arranged to form a scaffold to be used in shingling houses, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of 15 October, 1880.

EDWARD R. GAY. Witnesses:

H. S. PUGKETT, H. M. M. BRUMMETT. 

